10615: Rotten To The Core Competencies.

 

Here’s an excerpt from an actual Adland job listing…

 

Required Core Competencies:

 

• Global Business Acumen Dealing with Ambiguity

 

• Learning on the Fly Drive for Results

 

• Developing Others’ Managerial Courage

 

• Continuous Improvement Strategic Agility

 

These bullet points underscore job hazards that await the winning applicant. Here’s a quick dissection and translation:

 

Emphasizing “Dealing with Ambiguity” and “Strategic Agility” means there will be no specific objectives or competent briefs for assignments. Project work orders will typically declare, “Build a website” or “Create an email stream”—with no audience definitions, behavioral insights, core messaging statements, or intended response goals. Of course, the budget and schedule will be well outside of reality.

 

“Learning on the Fly” means there will be no training—and zero process for anything. Every project will be the Undiscovered Country. Plus, everyone will show a complete disregard for responsibility and accountability.

 

As for “Developing Others’ Managerial Courage,” expect a total lack of psychological safety and plenty of fear-based decisionmakers.

 

It’s enough to make non-White applicants hope they experience discriminatory elimination.